Thread advancing reel



Feb. 3, 1953 W. V. HENRY 'IHRE-.AD ADVANCING REEL 3 Sheets-Sheet l FiledJuly e, 1949 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Feb. 3, 1953 w. v. HENRY THREAD ADVANCINGREEL 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 6, 1949 A INVENTOR Milian 1./ @l1/ly177@ixomwsy Feb. 3, 1953 w. v. HENRY 2,627,102

THREAD ADVANCING REEL Filed July 6, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 l Jg.

n45 sa 45 6a ffsa" 48a 270 360 i www ff@ f7 f E THREAD /P/SE INVENTOR YWillian 1./ )Ye/yy BY WRVEY Patented Feb. 3, 1953 THREAD ADVANCING REELWilliam V. Henry, Candler, N. C., assignor to American Enka Corporation,Enka, N. C., a corporation of Delaware Application July s, 1949, serialNo. 103,259

This invention relates to thread storage, thread advancing devices andmore particularly to a cantilever supported thread storage, threadadvancing device of simple design which is capable of easy adjustment topermit variable thread storage time thereon.

In the art relating to thread storage, thread advancing devices thereare to be found reels comprised of a plurality of circumferentiallyarranged slats or rods with means to cause alternate rods to execute anoperation each cycle of which includes engaging a coil of thread,advancing that coil toward one end of the reel, releasing the coil andfinally returning to the starting position. In these machines the rodsare subjected to concurrent reciprocation in both radial and axialdirections at different frequencies and the mechanisms for causing suchmovements have been so complex to construct andinstall as to render thereels of doubtful commercial value.

For example, in the patent to Hellbach No. 2,469,767 there is describeda cantilever supported reel including a fixed set of bars alternatelyspaced with a set of bars mounted for both axial and radialreciprocation. The members of the movable set of bars engage cam faceswhich cause them to execute radial and axial movement to and from threadsupporting and advancing position. The strokes of the bars both axiallyand radially are fixed in amplitude so that the only Way to get controlof storage time at any given peripheral speed of the reel is by drivingthe cam in some relation to the rods so that the number of cycles ofmovement of each rod in a bodily movement of 360 is varied. This type ofadjusting apparatus inherently includes some type of change speedmechanism for driving the cams and is therefore expensive to install andto maintain. However, the patent is entirely silent with respect to anysuch type of adjusting mechanism.

Furthermore the mounting of the movable slats or rods and the mechanismsby .which they are caused to follow the operating cams have heretoforepresented serious problems due to the fact that the rod or slat'isrequired to'be biased both axially and radially in order to follow thecams. Even if the biasing problem is solved, the problem of frictionbetween the cam and the bar still remains with increases inmaintenance-and operating expense resulting therefrom.

To recapitulate, prior art reels of the type comprising radially andaxially movable rods or slats circumferentially alternating with xedslats to denne a cage like structure have heretofore sui- 1o claims.(o1. zs-vim fered from serious deficiencies in the mode of adjusting forstorage time on the reel, i. e., adjusting the helix angle of the coilsof thread on the reel, in the slat or rod mounting means and in severalaspects of the cam following relationship existing between the cams andthe slats moved thereby.

It is an object of this invention to overcome the foregoing deficienciesand to provide a thread storage, thread advancing reel in which thestorage time of thread running on the reel is easily adjusted withoutrequiring that the cam mechanism be driven, to provide a reel in whichthe rods are conveniently mounted for easy assemblv and repair andtoprovide a reel in which friction betvve'enthe cam following surfaces andthe cams which act thereon is greately reduced while the biasingmechanisms are both simplified in construction and reduced in number.

Other objectsand advantages of this invention will be apparent uponconsideration of the following detailed description of a preferredembodiment thereof in conjunction with the annexed drawings wherein:

V Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a thread storage, threadadvancing reel constructed in accordance withthe principles of thepresent invention;

Figure 2 is a view in 'section taken on the line 2--2 Aof Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view in section taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view in section taken along the line 4-4 of Figure l;

Figure 5 is a view in section taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a development of the eccentric and wobble lplate shown inFigure 3 illustrating the phase relationship between the two; and,

Figures 7a, 7b and 7c illustrate the cyclic movement of a threadcarrying bar in picking up, advancing and releasing a plurality of coilsof thread. Y

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings, the reel of Figure 1 iscomprised of sixteen vslats I0 and II mounted respectively on bars I2and I3, the configuration of which can be understood upon reference toFigures 1 and 2. The bars I2 and I3 and the slats I0 and II attachedthereto are mounted in circumferentially spaced relation in suitableradial slots provided in discs I4 and I5, the bars I2 and I3 alternatingcircumferentially of the reel. The disc I 4 is connected by. screws I8,one ofywhch shows in Figure 1, to a ange I'I extending radially from ashaft Figures 3, 7a, 7b and r1c can perhaps best be understood byreference to Figure 6 Whereon the curve 49 represents the radialmovement of a bar I2 and the curve 50 represents the axial movementthereof. The figure numerals 7a, '7b and 7c applied to these curvescorrelate with the slat positions shown in Figures 71a, '7b and 7c. Ashas been stated above, the radial movement leads the axial movement by45 and this is clearly represented in Figure 6. Although the bestresults appear to be achieved when the radial movement leads the axialmovement by about 45, it may be desirable in some cases to alter thisrelationship in a small range, e. g., it may be slightly less than 45 orslightly more than 45.

In the curve B the amplitude of the axial move ment has been indicatedas equal to the amplitude of the radial movement but, with the adjustingscrews 45 and 46, it is apparent that the amplitude of the axialmovement is adjustable to produce any desired coil spacing on the reel.The frequency of the advance of the thread is therefore fixed so long asthe eccentrics 30 and 3| are not rotated but the magnitude or amplitudeof the axial advance is responsive to the magnitude of the tilt of theeccentrics 3Q and 3| so that helix angle adjustment is possiblev topermit variations in storage time of thread on a reel of any givenlength without modification of the take-up speed of that reel.

It will be understood that the eccentric 3d, the ball race 2B and thering 26 function so far as the following surface 24 is concerned as awobble plate. Ring 21, ball race 29 and eccentric 3l similarly functionwith respect to following surface 25. Radial movement is impartedthrough the periphery of the rings 26 and 21 to the following surfaces22 and 23. To cut down friction in the transmissiony of these movements,the

anti-friction ball races 28 and 2e are employed. Thus the rings 26 and2'! are free to move with the bars l2 so that the eccentric is actuallyfollowed by the balls of the ball races in a substantially frictionlessmanner.

While no support has been shown for the sleeve 36, it is to beunderstood that Whatever support is employed AWill be of the rigidcantilever type and will be applied to the right of the disc I5 asviewed in Figure 1. The support Will be spacially arranged to permitaccess to the heads of the threaded pins 45 and 46 so that helix angleadjustments can be made by merely stopping the reel.

While the foregoing discussion has been Wholly devoted to but a singleembodiment of this invention, it is apparent that various modificationsthereof will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art in view ofthe instruction afforded by the foregoing descriptions of a singlespecific example.

What is claimed is:

l. A thread storage, thread advancing device comprising a plurality ofbars, means to support said bars from one end thereof incircumferentially spaced relationship to define a reel, means to rotatesaid supporting means about an axis in a plane normal to said axis, andmeans responsive to rotation of said supporting means to cause alternatebars successively to execute a cycle of movement including a radialreciprocation and an axial reciprocation out of phase by about 45 withthe radial movement leading.

2. A thread storage, thread advancing device comprising a plurality ofbars, means to support said bars from one end thereof incircumferentially spaced relationship to define a reel, means to rotatesaid supporting means about a rst axis, a pair of eccentrics mounted forrocking movement about a second axis at right angles to said first axisand responsive to rotation of said supporting means to cause alternatebars successively to execute a cycle of movement including a radialreciprocation and an axial reciprocation, means to adjust one of saideccentrics to a desired angular position about said second axis andmeans to cause the other eccentric to track the movement of the adjustedeccentric.

3. A thread storage, thread advancing device comprising a plurality ofbars, means to support said bars from one end thereof incircumferentially spaced relationship to define a reel, means to rotatesaid supporting means about an axis in a plane normal to said axis,means responsive to rotation of said'supporting means to cause alternatebars successively to execute a cycle of movement including aradialreciprocation and an axial reciprocation out of phase by about 45 withthe radial movement leading, and means to :adjust the amplitude of thepath of axial reciprocation.

4. A thread storage, thread advancing device comprising a plurality ofbars, means to support said bars from one end thereof incircumferentially spaced relationship to define a reel, a shaftpositioned along the long axis of said reel, means to mount saidsupporting means to said shaft, an eccentric mounted on said shaft forrocking movement about an axis at right angles to the long axis of thereel, a ring mounted on said eccentric and presenting an edge surfaceand a face surface, alternate bars of the circumferential group havingfollowing surfaces in contact with said edge and face surfacesrespectively, means to hold said eccentric against rotation with saidsupporting means and adjustable means to hold said eccentric and hencesaid ring at a predetermined angularity with respect to said reel axis.

5. A thread storage, thread advancing devicecomprising a plurality ofbars, means to support said bars from one end thereof incircumferentially spaced relationship to dene a reel, a shaft positionedalong the long axis of said reel, means to mount said supporting meansto said shaft, an eccentric mounted on said shaft for rocking movementabout an axis at right angles to the long axis of the reel, a ring,anti-friction bearing means supporting said ring from said eccentric,said ring presenting edge and face surfaces, alternate bars of thecircumferential group having following surfaces in contact with saidedge and face surfaces respectively, means to hold said eccentricagainst rotation with said supporting means and adjustable means to holdsaid eccentric and hence said ring at a predetermined angularity withrespect to said reel axis.

6. A thread storage, thread advancing device comprising a plurality ofbars, means to support said bars from one end thereof incircumferentially spaced relationship to dene a reel, a shaft positionedalong the long axis of said reel, means to mount said supporting meansto said shaft, an eccentric mounted on said shaft for rocking movementabout an axis at right angles to the long axis of the reel, a. ring,anti-friction bearing means mounting said ring on said eccentric, saidring presenting an edge surface and a face surface, alternate bars ofthe circumferential group having following surfaces, resilient means tohold said surfaces in contact with said edge and face surfacesrespectively and means to hold said eccentric against rotation with saidsupporting means, the maximum deviation of said ring from a plane normalto said long axis lying 45 away from the maximum deviation of saideccentric from concentricity and lagging it in the rotation of the reel.

7. A thread storage, thread advancing device comprising a plurality ofbars, a pair of axially spaced discs supporting said bars from one endportion thereof in circumferentially spaced relationship to define areel. an axle for said discs, a sleeve concentrically surrounding saidaxle but held against rotation therewith, a pair of eccentrics mountedon said sleeve in axially spaced relationship between said discs, meansmounting said eccentrics on said sleeve for rocking movement about anaxis at right angles to the sleeve axis, a pair of rings, a pair ofanti-friction bearings, each antifriction bearing supporting one of saidrings from one of said eccentrics, said rings presenting edge and facesurfaces, alternate bars of the circumferential group having followingsurfaces engaging the edge surfaces of the rings and also engaging theadjacent face surfaces of said rings, resilient bands biasing saidalternate bars of the circumferential group radially inwardly, amounting block on said sleeve, a pair of set screws in said mountingblock in bearing relation to one of said eccentrics to move the same toa desired angular position about the axis at right angles to the sleeveand means to cause the other eccentric to track the movement of theeccentric against which the screws act.

8. A thread storage, thread advancing device as claimed in claim 7 inwhich the tracking means comprises a pairl of pins of equal lengthextending between said eccentrics, said pins lying 180 apart and 90 fromthe means which mount the eccentrics for rocking movement about an axisat right angles to the reel axis.

9. A method of storing thread while advancing the same that comprisescontinuously drawing thread from a source, forming succeeding portionsthereof into a generally helical configuration, moving succeedingportions of each coil of the helix radially outwardly and axially awayfrom the zone of origin of the helix in a cycle characterized by theradial movement and the axial movement being out of phase with theradial movement leading by about 10. A method of storing thread whileadvancing the same that comprises continuously drawing thread from asource, forming succeeding portions thereof into agenerally helicalconfiguration, moving succeeding portions of each coil of the helixradially outwardly and axially away from the zone of origin of the helixin a cycle characterized by the radial movement and the axial movementbeing out of phase with the radial movement leading by about 45, themaximum radial movement outwardly occurring in the saine radius of thehelix throughout each cycle.

WILLIAM V. HENRY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,153,685 Dannenberg et al. Apr.11, 1939 2,167,681 Samerdyke Aug. 1, 1939 2,168,555 Battin Aug. 8, 19392,230,493 Jorden Feb. 4, 1941 j 2,244,119 Samerdyke June 3, 19412,260,565 Furness Oct. 28, 1941 2,414,644 Gram Jan. 2l, 1947 2,512,645Hellbach June 27, 1950

